The puck stops here: Hockey is a passion for Abilene man

Hockey fan hopes to bring more playing opportunities for local youths

Jonathan Spencer, 24, laces up his roller blades after refereeing a 13-year-old and under game on Monday at Jimmy Hoffman Arena in Cal Young Park. Spencer, a member of the Southwest Collegiate Hockey League, has played ice hockey as well as inline hockey. "I prefer ice any day," Spencer said. He's not looking to move to a region where ice hockey is available. Instead, Spencer wants to continue supporting inline hockey in Abilene.

Jonathan Spencer speaks with the other referee during a 13-year-old and under inline hockey game on Monday at the Jimmy Hoffman Arena. Spencer played inline hockey at the University of North Texas and Abilene Christian University. Before college, he competed throughout Texas during high school, playing for San Angelo. He also was the vice president of the Key City Hockey Association while in high school.

photos by Joy Lewis/Reporter-News
Jonathan Spencer (center) referees during a 13-year-old and under inline hockey game on Monday at the Jimmy Hoffman Arena in Cal Young Park. Spencer, known as "Johny," grew up in Abilene playing inline hockey since age 4. "Hockey is my life," he said.

The Penguins take a water break during their game against the Stars on Monday at the Jimmy Hoffman Arena in Cal Young Park.

A love for hockey runs deep in Jonathan Spencer's blood.

Known as "Johny," the Abilene native learned to play the sport at 4 years old on the neighborhood streets of Dyess Air Force Base. His father, Jeffrey Spencer of Detroit, and his mother, Therese Spencer of St. Paul, Minn., taught him to play the game that is a dominant sport in states on the Canadian border.

Spencer took to hockey naturally. It quickly became his passion. He even quit football to devote his evenings solely to inline hockey practice.

"I love how it's a finesse game, but also gritty," Spencer said.

Spencer, 24, explained how inline hockey differs from ice hockey. With inline, players focus more on positioning and speed instead of open hits. Spencer believes inline hockey is an excellent sport for kids because it is usually less brutal than the ice version.

But Spencer said players still have to be aggressive and skate into others to take the puck.

"Don't back down — don't be afraid to get hit or knocked down," Spencer said.

On Mondays, Spencer is a referee for Key City Hockey Association inline games played at the Jimmy Hoffman Arena in Cal Young Park.

He skated through the rink Monday, making calls and watching the youth teams battle as the sun went down and the arena lights brightened.

"Inline hockey used to be a bigger presence in Abilene, but it's died down over the years," Spencer said.

Spencer plans to work for a comeback by building up advertising of the sport. He is a board member on the Southwest Collegiate Hockey League. Today Spencer is wrapping up his duties as an event manager in the National Collegiate Roller Hockey Association tournament at the Olympic Oval in Salt Lake City.

"Hockey is my life," Spencer said.

For now he devotes his personal life to hockey and his professional life to entrepreneurship — making progress toward buying an undisclosed franchise in Abilene. He hopes his business will grow to be successful enough to support inline hockey locally.

"I'd like to move it into an indoor sport-court," Spencer said.

Sport-court is a surface with texture closer to that of ice. It is easier on equipment than concrete.

"I think Abilene would be the best place to put a sport-court rink," Spencer said. "It would be a central location for surrounding teams to meet."

Spencer said teams from Texas Tech, Abilene Christian University, Texas State University, Sam Houston State University, Louisiana Tech University and others could bring business to the local economy by traveling to Abilene for games.

Spencer played against those teams during his college career at Abilene Christian University.

During his five seasons with ACU, he scored 108 goals and added 55 assists. He graduated in 2011 with a degree in sociology and criminal justice.

Instead of migrating to a northern state with a ubiquitous hockey presence, Spencer wants to stick around West Texas and invest his energy into developing more hockey opportunities for players in Abilene.